More than 600 industrial units of the region were remained closed on second consecutive day here Thursday, while Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) restored the gas supply to 380 CNG stations after two days gas shedding.
Local industrialists have invited the Mian Shahbaz Ahmad, Chief Minister Punjab for leading the protest procession on Friday, because all commitments of the Prime Minister and President with the industrialists for observing two day gas-shedding in a week remained an eye-wash, while Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) is observing three-day gas-shedding instead of the directions.
Addressing a protest meeting of local industrialists, Sheikh Muhammad Saeed, Regional Chairman, All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association (APTPMA) said that the gas load shedding would bring economic activities to a grinding halt since last six months, while promises of government not met.
He said that industrialists had postponed long march on the interference of the Chief Minister Punjab, but conspiracies are crushing industrialisation in Punjab and no body listening the voice of the millions. He warned that if their demands were not met they would be forced to give new dead line for long march.
Further more, Chaudhry Salamat Ali, Chairman, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) North Zone, Chaudhry Abdul Haq, Chairman, Muhammad Akram Ghouri, Vice Chairman, All Pakistan Cotton Powerlooms Association, Sheikh Abdul Qayyum, Mian Javed Iqbal former Presidents of FCCI, Khuwaja Shahid Razzaq Sikka, President Anjuman-e-Tajran Faisalabad and other leaders of business community also expressed grave concern over the gas shedding and demanded that the government should give priority to this sector in order to revive economic activities in the Punjab. The gas authorities have restarted heavy gas load shedding which would result in closure of a good number of industries units, one of the leading job providing sectors during the last six months.